Visual and Performing Arts

Antiracist Pedagogy for the Art History Classroom

Document Type

Book Chapter

Abstract

This chapter offers several nested teaching strategies informed by antiracist principles in a lecture course “Art from 1940 to 1970: Modernism and Its Discontents”. The antiracist interventions described in the chapter include reframing the core narrative of the course around questions of artistic agency, artists’ networks, and the power of how history is written using a diverse group of artists; foregrounding the instructor's own positionality as a white scholar who has benefited from the art world structures; and developing discussion questions that invite students to explore how artists expressed their racialized experiences. The assessment strategies prioritized bringing marginalized voices in the classroom to the table, making expectations transparent, and intentionally scaffolding the learning activities for every student to be successful. Analysis of various teaching artifacts suggests some areas of success – such as students expressing an understanding of power structures in how history is written, and students engaging with topics relating to race in their research papers. © 2026 selection and editorial matter, Jie Y. Park and Laurie Ross; individual chapters, the contributors.

Publication Title

Towards a Community of Antiracist Praxis in Higher Education: Transformative Principles, Practices, and Resources for the Classroom

Publication Date

1-2025

First Page

35

Last Page

51

ISBN

9781040418444

DOI

10.4324/9781003472087-3

Keywords

antiracism, art history, modernism, teaching, curricula, higher education

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